Handmade and casted in the USA, this double sided sterling shield pendant features a list of five Latin words that we feel reflect the qualities of a good father figure, a dagger through the north star, and the well-known phrase AMOR VINCIT OMNIA ("love conquers all"). The front of the pendant features the Latin word CUSTOS above a dagger through the north star, encompassed by a wreath of laurels. CUSTOS means guardian, for the safety and protection fathers give and the support they contribute as we learn to strike out on our own. The dagger image and the shield shape of the pendant represent the ways that fathers protect their families, relying on a foundation of care and strong defense even though they will do whatever is necessary to safeguard their loved ones. The north star symbolizes family, used as the guide-point for a father's values and priorities. A wreath of laurels was historically used to crown victors of battles and athletic competitions, and stands for the confidence needed in a father's leadership.  On the back of the pendant is the phrase AMOR VINCIT OMNIA. The idiom was perhaps made most famous by the Italian Baroque artist Caravaggio and his painting of the same title. The painting depicts a brazen Cupid, the Roman god of love, knocking over many symbols of human endeavors and civilization, offering the commentary that art, war, music, and exploration pale in comparison to the pursuit (or possession) of love. Virgil is credited with first coining the phrase, and he truly said it best: OMNIA VINCIT AMOR: ET NOS CEDAMUS AMORI - “Love conquers all; let us, too, yield to love!” We feel that not only does a father's love conquer all hardships, but also that any person who has a father's love is capable of overcoming any obstacle. Around the edge of the pendant are four Latin words that describe more qualities of a good father: STABILIS means steady or steadfast, for the anchoring force that a father figure can provide and a comforting undercurrent through life. FORTIS means strong, for the strength needed in care and patience, not just in physical strength alone. MAGISTER means teacher, for all of the lifelong skills we learn from our fathers and the memories created from those lessons. PATER means father, a role that is the sum of all these parts and many more besides.